Her voice is sweetness and light, but there’s no missing the underlying edge.
He smiles, but it’s a little tight around the edges.
“Of course, of course.” He turns to face me. “I was just coming to see you, Kathryn,” he says.
Of course he was.
No doubt to lecture me on the dangers of getting involved with someone I work with. Some fatherly advice and all that.
I refrain from rolling my eyes. Instead, I look down at my watch.
“As you can see, I’m a little busy. Speak to Michael, and he’ll arrange an appointment.”
“We better go, lovely seeing you, Douggie,” Mum says, sliding her arm through mine as she manoeuvres us towards the door, leaving him standing there, open-mouthed.
Freddie is at the kerb holding open the car door when we exit the building.
“Thank you, Freddie,” I say, smiling at the older man.
“You’re welcome, Ms Kathryn. Lovely to see you.”
“You too.”
Mum and I slide into the back.
“You know he hates you calling him Douggie,” I tell her.
“Of course he does, it’s why I do it. He’s a pompous ass. I don’t know why your father liked him so much.”
“Dad liked him because he’s surprisingly good at his job, he’s stable, and he knows the hotel business inside out. The question is, why don’t you like him?”
Something crosses Mum’s face, but she keeps quiet.
“Ah, you mean the fact he didn’t want me becoming CEO after Dad died?”
Mum turns, her mouth dropping open.
I laugh.
“Oh, don’t worry, Mum, there’s not much I don’t know. Douglas made his feelings very clear from the beginning. Although I think I’ve proved him wrong.”
“I’m sorry,” she says.
“For what? You can’t blame them. I was relatively green. I’d only been working with Dad for a handful of years. I was still in my twenties.”
“They wanted one of your brothers, as if a woman couldn’t do it,” she huffs. “Brothers who were younger, and who were even less experienced than you. I was not having that.”
“Oh, I’m well aware. But I’ve had the last laugh. Proved them wrong, increased profits, expanded the business. If they had any doubts, they’ve been made to eat their words.”
She smiles, and this time it reaches her eyes.
“You really are so like him.”
A lump forms in my throat.
“He was stronger than I’ll ever be,” I admit quietly.
“Poppycock,” Mum says. “You may not believe it, but you’re stronger than all of them.” I stare at her wide eyes. She shakes her head. “What have you told them in regard to Jaxson?”
